𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 • 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯

Ares

Y/n Pov:

The next afternoon, June 14, seven days before the solstice, our train rolled into Denver. We hadn't eaten since the night before in the dining car, somewhere in Kansas.

"Let's try to contact Chiron," I said. "I want to tell him about your talk with the river spirit." 

"We can't use phones, right?" asked Percy.

"I'm not talking about phones."

We wandered downtown for about half an hour. The air was dry and hot, which felt weird after the humidity of St. Louis. 

Finally, we found an empty do-it-yourself car wash. We veered toward the stall farthest from the street, keeping our eyes open for patrol cars. We were four adolescents hanging out at a car wash without a car; any cop worth his doughnuts would figure we were up to no good. 

"What exactly are we doing?" Percy asked as Grover took out the spray gun. 

"It's seventy-five cents," Grover grumbled. "I've only got two quarters left. Annabeth, Y/n?" 

"Don't look at me," Annabeth said. "The dining car wiped me out." 

"Here, I have some change," I tossed him the cents.

Now I only had two cents.

"Excellent," Grover said. "We could do it with a spray bottle, of course, but the connection isn't as good, and my arm gets tired of pumping." 

"What are you talking about?" asked Percy, confused.

I fed in the quarters and set the knob to FINE MIST. 

"I-M'ing," I replied.

"Instant messaging?" 

"Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess Iris carries messages for the gods. If you know how to ask, and she's not too busy, she'll do the same for half-bloods." 

"You summon the goddess with a spray gun?" 

Grover pointed the nozzle in the air and water hissed out in a thick white mist. 

"Unless you know an easier way to make a rainbow." 

I held my hand out to Percy.

"Drachma, please." 

Percy handed it over. I raised the coin over my head. 

"O goddess, accept our offering." 

I threw the drachma into the rainbow. It disappeared in a golden shimmer. 

"Half-Blood Hill," I requested. 

For a moment, nothing happened. Then I was looking through the mist at strawberry fields and the LongIsland Sound in the distance. We seemed to be on the porch of the Big House. Standing with his back to us at the railing was a sandy-haired guy in shorts and an orange tank top. He was holding a bronze sword and seemed to be staring intently at something down in the meadow. 

"Luke!" Percy called. 

He turned, eyes wide.

"Percy!" His scarred face broke into a grin. "Is that Annabeth and Y/n, too? Thank the gods! Are you guys okay?" 

"We're...uh...fine," Annabeth stammered. 

She was madly straightening her dirty T-shirt, trying to comb the loose hair out of her face.

"We thought—Chiron—I mean—" 

"He's down at the cabins." Luke's smile faded. "We're having some issues with the campers. Listen, is everything cool with you? Is Grover alright?"